Parliament 19 February 2015

The order paper is here and oral questions here.

Oral Questions 2 pm – 3 pm

1. 1. ALASTAIR SCOTT to the Minister of Finance: What progress is the Government making in its programme to get better results from public services?
   2. MAHESH BINDRA to the Minister of Corrections: Was there a Victim Notification Register Alert generated for Phillip Smith at any stage prior to his temporary release from custody in November 2014; if not, why not?
   3. GRANT ROBERTSON to the Minister of Finance: Does he stand by his statement that he would post a “meaningful surplus” in 2014/15; if so, what approximate dollar figure would constitute a meaningful surplus?
   4. CATHERINE DELAHUNTY to the Minister of Education: Is she planning to undertake another Partnership School application round this year; if so, will any new schools be required to target the same priority learner groups as existing Partnership Schools?
   5. JACQUI DEAN to the Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment: What progress is the Government making to boost workforce skills?
   6. CHRIS HIPKINS to the Minister of Education: Does she have confidence in the Partnership School’s Authorisation Board; if so, why?
   7. Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS to the Minister for Building and Housing: Does he think he is competently fulfilling his ministerial responsibilities; if not, why not?
   8. BRETT HUDSON to the Minister for Small Business: How will the New Zealand Business Number system make it easier for small business to interact with the Government?
   9. CARMEL SEPULONI to the Minister for Social Development: Does she have confidence in the ability of the Ministry of Social Development to exercise financial due diligence?
   10. STEFFAN BROWNING to the Minister for Food Safety: Will she assure consumers that irradiated food labelling requirements will be enforced immediately in light of reports that irradiated fruit is being sold in New Zealand without the appropriate label?
   11. Hon DAMIEN O’CONNOR to the Minister for Primary Industries: Was the Government’s decision to cut 100 percent bag screening indicative of the priority the Government places on biosecurity?
   12. NUK KORAKO to the Associate Minister for Canterbury Earthquake Recovery: What progress has the Government made on the Canterbury Earthquake Memorial?

National: Four patsies on better public services, workforce skills, small businesses and Canterbury Earthquake Memorial.

Labour: Four questions on the surplus, charter schools, MSD spending and biosecurity

Greens: Two questions on charter schools and irradiated food

NZ First: Two questions on Phillip Smith and Building & Housing

Government Bills 3.00 pm – 6.00 pm

Coroners Amendment Bill – first reading

The bill amends the Coroners Act 2006 to improve the quality, consistency, and timeliness of coronial investigations and decision making and reduce duplication between coroners and other authorities that investigate deaths and accidents. It also clarifies the rules of reporting of suicides or suspected suicides.

• Introduced: July 2014

The debate is up to two hours.

Gambling Amendment Bill (No 2) – third reading

The bill amends the Gambling Act 2003 with minor policy and technical amendments

Introduced: August 2007
1st reading: August 2007, passed without dissent
Select Committee report: May 2008 and June 2013
2nd reading: May 2009, passed without dissent
Committee of the House: February 2015. SOPs from the Greens and NZ First were defeated. The bill was amended further and passed 108-11 with only NZ First dissenting

The debate can be up to two hours.